Day 16

0520h. Alarm rings. Get out of bed and second guess working out this morning. Legs sore from previous day's run.

0523h. Look at husband sprawled in bed. Suddenly bed and comforter looks very inviting. Maybe this is a sign to just do morning prayers and go back to bed.

0540h. Fought urge and eating quick breakfast while checking email on iPad. Note response from fellow blogger: "zen girl in the city." What a witty and cute blog on yoga. Love entry about the archetypal yogis in class--she forgot to add a few more types: #3: lululemon devotee (the blonde decked out in lululemon from head to toe in full make-up and perfect hair), #4: silly, mediocre yogi extremely deprived of chocolate for 16 days...

0600h. At gym, awaiting class. Hoping it does not involve a lot of running.

0631h. Doing fast feet. Unsure if the jiggling is my muffin top or my breasts. Oh boy, that is not a good sign. Maybe I need to lay off more than just the chocolate.

0640h. Please stop with the intervals with the skipping rope for 1'. Ay carumba---no more skipping! What is it with cardio teachers and skipping ropes?

0830h. After unexpected pit stop at work, run home for a quick shower and proper breakfast before officially starting my work day. Greeted by cheerful, dancing children at door: unsure who they belong to.

0916h. Fantastic--not running too behind, drinking coffee: this is great. Hmmm...maybe I should make my next challenge "30 Days Without Coffee." Nahhh...that is what Ramadan is for.

0930h. Co-worker shows me Easter gift card from Wal-mart: complete with scratch and sniff component with...you guessed it...chocolate scent! You gotta to be kidding me.

0940h. Discover Tom is working with me today. He has already been working on the foil wrapper mystery from the weekend: even promising immunity to Tammy if she gives up the identity of the sly prankster...I suspect a new suspect: "Barb." A co-worker with a stellar reputation...the perfect cover.

1159h. Husband calls to tell me he brought lunch home (McDonald's) and wondering when I will be home for lunch. For a change, running on time and will be there soon.

1201h. Ponder the unhealthiness of lunch from McDonald's. This could explain why my chocolate free 16 days has not resulted in any significant weight loss.

1225h. Hanging out with children on driveway: me on the outside, the 3 of them happily pretending to drive or ride inside my vehicle.  N and T are now arguing over whose turn it is to drive...is this foreshadowing my future when they are teenagers?

1230h. N has discovered the garage door opener: up and down, up and down...

1231h. Please don't discover my secret stash of Hershey kisses.

1300h. Head back to work. Marvel at my ability to tolerate muddy rubber boots sloshing around the inside of my vehicle. Wow, a leopard can really change its spots...kinda like me surviving 16 days without chocolate.

1640h. Yelling to see if anyone is left in office to fax something. Discover I am last person in the office. Eating almonds. Look at boxes of chocolate granola bars on my shelf; collecting dust, I might add.

1655h. Run to grocery store to purchase supplies for bookclub meeting tonight. Stroll by bakery and manage to avoid anything that resembles chocolate. However, there is a multitude of other sugary, buttery delights such as iced vanilla cookies, croissants, hmmm...what else was there?

1701h. Note chocolate bars (2 for $1!) on sale at check-out. Feel sad.

1706h. Greeted by happy, fed children. Son informs me that he is now capable of urinating standing up. My baby is growing up...

1740h. Z is resisting post bath rubdown with moisturizer (organic almond oil, if you must know). Sedate her with a song..."The Wheels on the Car" (because she is requesting a song with car in it and that is all I can come up with off the top of my head). Amazed that the lyrics of "The Wheels on the Bus" work quite well on my car version.

1815h. Z and N off to bed. Each requested a goodnight from their father. Saddened because many evenings out of the week, I am not there to kiss them goodnight but their dad always is so he is more of a constant in their lives than I am.

1822h. Slicing apples for bookclub crowd on ledge in living room while watching son through open front door. Now this is multi-tasking. I hope I don't lose a finger.

1825h. All fingers intact and food prep done.

1924h. Enjoying good company of fellow bibliophiles. Confront suspect #6 ("Barb"). The expression on her face assures me she is not behind the foil wrappers. At least I don't think so.

1935h. Confronted with question: "Why do blog?" Wonder answer to that. Think it is because I actually like to write and oddly enough because it has helped me find a voice as a writer.

2021h. Discover I have synesthesia (personification sub-type, numbers) after fellow bibliophile mentions she has same after looking up Tesla on wikipedia.

2101h. Given book to read: "No Plot? No Problem! A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days." Giver suggests that we all work on a novel in 30 days for an upcoming bookclub. Hmmmm. Intriguing idea.

2145h. Home. Had delightful evening filled with good conversation, good company and good food. Still craving chocolate.

2247h. Ponder gustatory synesthesia. I wonder if I could develop an association between a particular word and the taste of chocolate...boy, that would solve a lot of problems...